Acts 10:1

Acts 10:1 says, There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,  Cornelius is about to be given an assignment by God.  We are told several things about Cornelius. He was from Caesarea; a centurion of a band called the Italian band. He was a military man in a position of power.  We see that God can use people of all walks of life to do His will. Verse two adds, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.  More than being a military man, he was a devout man, who feared God along with all his house.  It is good for a person to fear God, but it is even more significant that his whole house fears God as well.  To fear God does not mean to cower in dread of what He will do to us, but to live in reverent awe for what He has done for us and simply because of Who He is. Cornelius gave alms to the poor and was in prayer to God always.  We as followers of Christ are called on to help those less fortunate than we are, and we definitely should be in prayer always.  Since prayer is simply talking with God, we can be in prayer continually.  Verse three continues, He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.  About the ninth hour of the day, Cornelius saw a vision of an angel of God coming to him, calling his name.  We may never see a vision, but as followers of Christ, we should definitely hear Him call us by name.  Verse four states, And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God  When Cornelius saw him, he was afraid.  Even in his fear, he asked, "What is it Lord?"  Now, in this case, I think fear is being afraid.  We would likely be also.  Though he didn't do it for personal reward, in answer to his question, Cornelius was told that his prayers and his alms had come up as a memorial to God.  We can always be sure that God knows what we are doing.  Verse five continues, And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:  Verse six concludes, He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.  Then Cornelius was told what to do.  He was to send men to Joppa to ask for one Simon, whose surname is Peter, lodging with Simon a tanner who lived by the sea.  There could be very little confusion in following the instructions.  God will not leave us confused when He calls us for a purpose.  The answer would come after he did what God told him to do.  Sometimes, we must simply act without knowing the result.  Verse seven says, And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;  Cornelius sent two servants and a devout soldier to Joppa.  We need to send devout men to do the work of God today.  Verse eight adds, And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.  Cornealius told them what they were to do, which had been told to him by God.  We need to always make sure that when someone is sent to do God’s work that it is by His direction and that they know what they are to do.  Verse nine continues. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: The next day as they were on their journey to see Peter, he was on the roof top to pray about the sixth hour.  Even with everything going on in the world, Peter was not hiding away to pray.  We should never hide our faith from the world, but should instead share it with them, not from anger, but with love.